The French Navy and American Independence: A Study of Arms and Diplomacy, 1774-1787

459 Pages·2015·13.18 MB·English

by  Jonathan R. Dull

THE FRENCH NAVY AND AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

THE FRENCH NAVY
AND
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
A Study of Arms and Diplomacy, /774-/7^7
Jonathan R. Dull
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copyright © 1975 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, Princeton and London
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data will
be found on the last printed page of this book
Publication of this book has been aided by the
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
This book has been composed in Linotype Janson
Printed in the United States of America
by Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey
Observe good faith and justice toward all nations.
Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and
morality enjoin this conduct. And can it be that
good policy does not equally enjoin it?
George Washington
Farewell Address
ιη September

C O N T E N TS
PREFACE Xi
GLOSSARY Xiii
MAPS xvii
CHAPTER ONE : 1774—The Inheritance of Louis XVI
1. The Diplomatic Inheritance 3
2. The Naval Inheritance 11
CHAPTER TWO: /77 J—An Empire at Peace,
An Empire at War
1. The French Navy and the Defense of the
French Empire 16
2. French Precautions after the Revolt of
British North America 24
CHAPTER THREE: 1776—The Beginning of Limited
Intervention
1. The Proposal to Aid the Americans 30
2. The Case for British Dependence on America 36
3. Turgot's Counterargument and the King's
Decision 44
4. Sartine's Battle for Increased Funds 49
5. The Consequences of Rearmament 56
CHAPTER FOUR: 7777—The Failure of Limited
Intervention
1. The Progress of Naval Rearmament 66
2. Growing Tension with Britain 68
3. The Privateering Crisis 75
4. The Decision for War: The Opening Stages 83
5. The Decision for War: The Effect of Saratoga 89
CHAPTER FIVE: 1778— War without Spain
1. The American Alliance 95
2. The Breaking of Relations with Britain 101
[vii]
Contents
3. War Strategies 105
4. The Opening of Hostilities 112
5. The First Campaign 120
6. The Spanish Alliance Question 126
CHAPTER six: 7775)—War at the Center
1. The Convention of Aranjuez 136
2. The Invasion of England: Plans 143
3. The Invasion of England: Execution 150
4. The Conclusion of d'Estaing's Cruise 159
j. Debating Future Strategy 163
6. The Relief of Gibraltar 169
CHAPTER SEVEN: 1780—War at the Periphery
1. Rodney's Victory 173
2. Picking Up the Pieces 179
3. Britain's Missed Opportunity 187
4. The Dismissal of Sartine 194
5. Castries as Naval Minister 202
6. Developments in the North and East 206
CHAPTER EIGHT: 1781—The uAnnus Mirabilis"
1. The Dutch War's Diplomatic Consequences 211
2. Planning the Campaign of 1781 216
3. The Maintenance of the European Alliances 224
4. The European Campaign 232
j. De Grasse's Campaign 238
6. The Grand Design 249
CHAPTER NINE: /782—Disintegration and Reprieve
1. The Allies' Last Victories 262
2. The European Crisis 272
3. The West Indian Setback 283
4. Rayneval's First Mission 293
5. The Gibraltar Disaster 304
6. The Search for a Gibraltar Equivalent 317
7. The Miraculous Peace 324
CHAPTER TEN: 1783-1787—Epilogue
1. The Naval Consequences of the War 336
2. The Diplomatic Consequences of the War 338
[ viii ]
Contents
APPENDIX A: The Naval and Colonial Budget,
1776-1783 345
APPENDIX B: Ships of the Line, August 1774 351
APPENDIX c: Ships of the Line, Changes, 1775-
February 1783 352
APPENDIX D: Frigates 356
APPENDIX E: Order of Battle, 1 July 1778 359
APPENDIX F: Order of Battle, 1 July 1779 361
APPENDIX G: Order of Battle, 1 July 1780 365
APPENDIX H: Order of Battle, 1 April 1781 369
APPENDIX 1: Order of Battle, 1 April 1782 373
APPENDIX J: French Troops Sent to the Western
Hemisphere, 1774-1782 377
APPENDIX K: Ships of the Line, 1 January 1787 378
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Unpublished Material 379
2. Selected Published Works: An Annotated Guide 384
3. Bibliography of Printed Sources 396
INDEX 425
[ix]